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by Tom Cluchey on Jan 10, 2009 1:22 PM EST Comment 10 comments

Great website, and if it is kept clean, I will love it.

I have been a Bills fan since they started in the afc. I have seen all the ups and all the downs. I have some thoughts on the owner R. Wilson.

Wilson has been in it for the money all the way, which I can't blame him for, but the product he puts on the field could be better. He has never paid top dollar for a player except O.J. He tries to get deals and diamonds in the rough. When OJ was a success he paid all his money on him and allowed his blocking linemen go elsewhere and as soon as he did OJ's success went down hill. Jim Kelley was a first rounder that refused Wilson's offer and went to the CFL before Wilson lured him to the NFL because Kelly wanted to play for the NFL.

The list goes on. Thurman Thomas was a deal because he was hurt his college senior year, Bebe, Tasker, Reed, were long shots from obscure schools. Jack Kemp did not come to Buffalo as a super star, but left as one.

Wilson should be ashamed of himself and should sell the team and give the Buffalo fans some relief, even it is Toronto.

This FanPost was written by a registered user of Buffalo Rumblings. Its views do not necessarily reflect the reviews of Rumblings' editorial staff, but are just as valued as our own.

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good to have you Tom....

I wholeheartedly agree about Wilson. He’s always looking for the “Diamond in the Rough” rather than doing what it takes to go out and get winners. I think his philosophy is “manage the team well financially and hope to get a good team through the draft (where players come cheap)”

Some people would present a counter-argument by saying: “Don’t you think Wilson wants to win, of course he does!” That’s true, Wilson does want to win. He’s just not willing to make the financial commitment as other owners are willing to make. The perfect example are his head coaching hires: Jauron, Mularkey, Williams, Phillips, Levy, etc. Not one of those guys cost a lot of money to bring in. I would put good money on it that none of them (with the exception of Levy late in his career) were in the top 1/2 in coaches salaries. Wilson doesn’t hire proven winners becuase proven winners cost money. Wilson would rather try to hire an obscurity like Jauron and hope that he works out. With that mindset is there any wonder why Buffalo has been home in January for the past 10 years?

John I.

by jri111 on Jan 10, 2009 1:45 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

A couple of counter points

Just to play Devil’s advocate:

First – I agree some what on the coaching thing, but to go back to Levy and Phillips is unfair. How many coaches were raking in huge dollar amounts back then? I don’t have the figures but I would say not that many.

Second – Back when Ralph started this franchise Buffalo was the 12th largest city in the US. Now it is about 67th or so. I really can’t blame Ralph for pinching some pennies along the way.

Third – Does anyone remeber back before Donahoe took over? The Bills were tight against the salary cap and had two big free agents left to sign, John Fina and Ruben Brown. John Butler gave them both big extensions. The next year Butler was gone and the Bills were in “salary cap jail” as Donahoe called it. The result was a 3-13 season. Again, if Ralph pinches some pennies to avoid that, I’m o.k. with it.

Out of Devil’s advocate mode, I say; There is nothing wrong with trying to catch a diamond in the rough every now and then, but it would be nice to see the Bills go out and spend some cash for once.

The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.

by sireric on Jan 10, 2009 2:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I see the bigger problem as Ralph thinking he knows how to run the football club better than his management team. Whenever we have had a good footbal mind at the top calling the shots he always/eventually has a falling out with that man, fires him and takes over. He has a good business mind but not a football mind.

everything goes better with a BIG MACK

by keuka121 on Jan 10, 2009 2:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I’ll add a few more points about diamonds in the rough. First, I believe the Patriots, the team the Bills have been chasing for this entire decade, were built on diamonds in the rough. Brady was a 6th round choice that happened to work out for them. Their receivers through the years had been Branch, Brown, Givens, and Caldwell, no superstars there. They weren’t spending top dollar talent until 2007 when Brady finally said I need some receivers.

Spending money on free agents are being willing to spend all the cap money doesn’t guarantee any success. Now, I am not saying I wan’t to stand pat on the team the Bills have, I’d love to see Bertrand Berry or Suggs and another WR in free agency. But throwing money at the problem doesn’t fix it, i.e. Jets or Redskins.

Another thing, about Kelly, amongst the reason he joined the Bills was due to the USFL folding.

by Fucilli5 on Jan 10, 2009 2:44 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I will even take that a little further and say:

But throwing money at the problem doesn’t fix it, i.e. Jets or Redskins.

Or the Bills offensive line (Walker, Dockery and Fowler to a certain extent) or the Bills defensive line (big contract extensions, the Stroud trade, Spencer Johnson) or the Bills QB position (trade for Rob Johnson, trade for Drew Bledsoe, trade up for Losman). The biggest problem for the Bills over the years is that their big moves to get QBs or overpaying to get an average player to come to Buffalo havn’t worked at all. Those QB blunders are what keeps setting Buffalo back. If Trent Edwards ends up being the real deal, Buffalo will be competitive again and suddenly everyone will love Ralph again, if Trent doesn’t pan out it is back to the rebuilding drawing board. QB is that important. Sorry about the QB tangent.

by kaisertown on Jan 10, 2009 3:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

QB blunders are the number one reason coaches and GMs lose jobs

If Joey Harrington was the second coming of Elway the Lions would not have been so terrible over the years. It’s why people hate the top of the draft now where they used to love it. It means you must hit on your top pick and if you have a QB need it’s soooo hard to do. This year is an mirage. Rookie QBs are generally not successful.

by MattRichWarren on Jan 11, 2009 10:16 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Joey Harrington was not the problem in Detroit. The serious lack of an Oline or running attack was. I am not saying that he is or was the second coming of Elway or Marino but Joey Harrington is much better than people give him credit for. In Miami he was a scapegoat as well. I still remember the Mia vs Bills game from two years ago when Saban was their coach. It was a very windy day and twice Harrington drove the ball on long drives downfield even though half his passes were dropped by his lousy receivers and twice Saban went for it on 4rth and long instead of kicking or punting. In the end Saban pulled Harrington but he wasn’t the problem, the coach was. In Atlanta, he could have been just as effective as Ryan, given the new offensive strategy & power running game, both were non-existant when he was there. Also, White was a rookie who now has developed into a great wideout.

BEAST MODE, During the week plan on it & on game day thrive on it!
GO BILLS!
Section 336 Row 13

by keysh67 on Jan 12, 2009 8:43 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs